McClelland Aurora

It seems that whenever theres a flowery description of a blend it's because it needs it . Zzzzzzzzzzz . This blend is pretty flat and boring ... " Awaken to a dawning of tantalizing " ... give me a freakin break . Good quality tobacco that dosent stand out in any way . On the light side of medium for sure . The bowl developes a little but not much . With the number of blends out there I cant figure why McCll bothere making it . Nothing offensive but nothing to gain ... 2 stars

A ribbon mix of dark stoved and red virginias. Well balanced so neither completely dominates. P&T reports it is the best Virginia blend out there. I do not concur, but it is certainly not bad in any way.

The two strong virginas produce plenty of flavor fullness. Maybe too much for some. Burns easy.

The balance is good but a drawback if you love red virginias only (bulk "red cake") or just adore dark stoved blends (Butera "dark stoved"). That is, the scent and sweetness of the reds are there but restrained by the darker virginias which are constantly sneaking through. Yet the darker taste does not completely dominate. Nevertheless, an interesting combo.

Due to the body of the tobaccos, this is not a mild blend for beginners I feel. Still smoother burning that a shag cut mixture of the reds and stoves (another one of McClelland's numbered virginia tinned blends).

A quality blend, but it simply did not have enough "red" in it to satisfy me on the first tin go 'round.

After much experimentation, I've learned McC's tobacco just isn't for me. But if you like McC, you can do no wrong with Aurora. It has all their hallmarks, but maybe a little sweeter, with a really pleasant room note.

OMG where do I start. Let me begin by saying I've only been smoking pipes for about a year. My tin lists the name of the tobacco as "Aurora" is manufactured by McClelland but there is no reference to "PCCA". The tin does not have the aurora effect on the labeling as some photos I have seen. Upon opening the tin you immediately pickup on the ketchup/vinegar smell; different but not disgusting. I find it to resemble a ribbon cut and it feels VERY moist in the tin. After the first bowl I was ready to throw it away. Tried drying it out a bit and still have to relight very, very often. Its described a a "Virginia lovers dream", for me a nightmare thus far. I will continue to ride this one out in hopes of having the dream others proclaim. Somewhat recommended due to my limited palate. I read all of the reviews here and really wonder if I'm smoking the same tobacco as them.

This blend is ok. I was disappointed but it didn't seems to be as good to me as the reviews here indicated. The baccy behaved well but the taste was a bit bland. I would rate it higher but I expect a premium priced blend to have a bit more flavor.

This isn't a thorough review, as I've only smoked a third of a tin. That said, I decided to put the open tin back in the cellar. It's just too...vapid right now. I believe it needs more air time and/or age on it. This tin has been opened now for 3-4 weeks, and so the last couple small bowls I had of it showed some promise. With a bit more time, I have little doubt my plan will work. (I hope, I bought a handful of these puppies). Unfortunately, I find 5100 'Red Cake' to be more satisfying. Nothing wrong with Red Cake, mind you, but the premium a tin goes for, and the addition of stoved VA should make Aurora a hands down winner. As it stands, it tastes like a less monochromatic, but weaker Red Cake wannabe. My tins are all stamped 2009, so maybe a few years of age are in order? Time will tell. I'll post an update down the road.